Bank of Scotland press release
HBOS FOUNDATION INJECTS 20 MILLION FUNDING BOOST INTO UK CHARITY SECTOR
Wednesday 15th May 2002
HBOS plc today (Wednesday) announced the launch of the HBOS Foundation, a new fund which aims to offer charities and communities the facilities to help themselves.
The HBOS Foundation will seek to support and work with charitable and "not-for-profit" organisations across the UK which support people and their local communities.
A total of 20 million over the next five years will be earmarked for community giving and focused on two guiding themes; money advice and financial literacy, and developing and improving communities.
The HBOS Foundation will also incorporate a public policy research programme, unique to the banking industry, which will identify how policy and social issues affect different regions of the country in relation to the areas supported by the HBOS Foundation.
Phil Hodkinson, who is Chief Executive of Insurance and Investment with HBOS and chairman of the HBOS Foundation Trustees, said: "HBOS recognises the importance of re-investing in the communities where we live and work. By concentrating our funding though the HBOS Foundation we will be able to achieve more and also ensure that our work is more sustainable.
"We also expect that the HBOS Foundation will create a network where we can match the needs of local communities and charities with the resources we have in terms of the skills and experience of our colleagues."
Over the past five years Halifax and Bank of Scotland have donated a combined total of 16 million to benefit thousands of charities. A further 15 million has been donated through the bank's various charity credit cards since 1988 and this will continue in addition to the Foundation.
In addition to financial support, the HBOS group also invests its time and skills through a number of staff secondments which enable charities to harness and exploit the business and banking experience of HBOS staff.
The HBOS group is also a pioneer in tackling social and financial exclusion, providing over 2.5 million basic bank accounts to customers throughout the UK and delivering groundbreaking projects such as bank accounts for Big Issue vendors. In total HBOS group has over 80% of the UK's social banking market.
Among the first organisations to secure support from the HBOS Foundation are:
- Grounds for Learning - a new national project that will transform school grounds within Scotland's 34 Social Inclusion partnership areas.
- Eureka - a project that will establish a new environmental education programme for children within West Yorkshire, building on the existing achievements of the Eureka charity
Charities and community organisations seeking funding support from the HBOS Foundation should contact Bruce Lowe on 0131 243 7058.
EDITOR'S NOTES:
- HBOS is the new force in UK banking formed by the merger of Halifax and Bank of Scotland last September.
- Pictures of Lord Stevenson, chairman of HBOS plc, and Phil Hodkinson, chairman of the HBOS Foundation launching the HBOS Foundation are available from photographer Steve Lindridge tel. 07718 919 597
| For further information please contact: | |
|---|---|
| Alastair Ross | HBOS plc |
| Tel: | 0131 243 7055 / 07879 604565 |
| Out of Hours: | 07669 004510 |
